For the Adulation of an Advisor
by The Celestial Anachronism
Summary: When Yomi invited Kurama to be advisor to his kingdom he had so much more in mind. Yes, Kurama had betrayed him in the past but that didn't mean that they couldn't still be friends. With that in mind Yomi tries to befriend Kurama but he screws up.Yaoi
1. Fluffy Pillows

TCA-Hey there, this is the first story that I shall be posting up, and yes it will be multi-chaptered but only if I get reviews. I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho or any of its characters. Creative criticism is allowed but flames are not, I shall delete them. So let's begin…enjoy the fanfiction!

Yomi, the blind lord of a full one-third of the Makai, was leisurely reclining against his pillows. He had an ungodly amount of them and they covered more than half of the bed. That was quiet a feat considering that the bed was every bit as extravagant as the pillows, more than long enough to comfortably hold his six foot frame, and certainly wide enough to hold several people. Not that Yomi would ever want several people in his bed. He was rather content in his own bed, which was in his own room, which was in his own wing, which was part of his own castle, which was part of his own kingdom. In short life was sweet…or at least that was what he was constantly telling himself.

How could he not enjoy the power that had come to him with the loss of his sight? He had been lord of his own territory for about five hundred years! No one could tell him what to do or when to do it, because he was in charge. And he hated every single second of it.

Once upon a time he had been the second in command to a band of thieves. He had lived dangerously, he had lived simply, he had been the yes man to the greatest thief of all time, and he had loved every second of it. Youko Kurama had been fierce and under his watchful eyes anything could be achieved. However if one was to go beyond those watchful eyes they would end up dead. Well, at least most of the time they would end up dead. To Yomi's knowledge, he was the only one who had ended up alive after angering the spirit fox. Granted he was blind…but he was still alive. Back then things had been so much simpler and though life was rough it was also kind. Sometimes Yomi thought of his old life as a mother; it had schooled him, scolded him, taken care of him, and even punished him when it was necessary. Life had been all about him and now life was all about his kingdom. True, there was a pleasure in it, but certainly not the sort of pleasure that had came from a good raid.

Yomi sighed and ran his hand slowly through his ebony hair, moving it off of his six ears, and making sure that it had not knotted around his horns. His hair had a horrid habit of tangling around his horns so that when he moved his head it hurt. It was remedied easily if his hair was short or braided, but he didn't feel right that way. A loud yawn burst fourth from Yomi's lips. He covered his mouth with his hand, because yawning loudly was not lordly behavior, and even though he was in his own room he still had to carry an air of authority. Now he knew how Youko had to feel, being regal all the time. It was rather ridiculous.

He heard the pitter patter of feet on the hallway floor. Judging by the softness of the footsteps it had to be Youda, his advisor. A few minutes later a knock was heard on the thick wooden chamber door. Yomi smiled slightly.

"Come in Youda." Yomi threw the invitation out casually. Youda accepted, walking into the demon lord's room and sitting down on a chair. Yomi nodded his head, signaling that it was okay for his adviser to speak.

"I've prepared the room for Kurama, just as you wished, and the invitation has been sent." Youda looked pointedly at Yomi, who could tell that Youda was displeased by the heat radiating from his eyes and his scent. "Though I do not see why we must have him here, wretched thing that he is…" Youda continued to mutter on and on about how Kurama was not to be trusted, and how he was a bad influence on Yomi.

Yomi already knew those things to be false. Hell that was part of the reason that he wanted Kurama to come! The delight of having a 'bad' influence around, the memories of having fun…there were just so many things…So many things that he missed and so many things that the reincarnated kitsune could bring. He _always_ possessed a certain wisdom and flair for preparation that Yomi had _always_ lacked.

"Youda, stop. The fact that I trust Kurama even after what he did to me should give you a reason to trust him as well. Or do you doubt my decision?" Yomi's voice hardened slightly and he pushed himself up to 'look' at Youda. The old youkai shook his head.

"I don't doubt you my lord. It's just…why him of all people? He's betrayed your trust once and I do not intend to give him the chance to do it again." Youda let out an exasperated breath and tapped his foot firmly against the wooden floor under his feet. "Lord Yomi, I'm going to have him kept under constant watch. If he so much as sneezes we shall know about it."

A rather large grin found its way onto Yomi's face at that remark and he laughed rather loudly.

"Youda…with my hearing I don't **need** anyone to watch him! I'll be able to hear him if he sneezes, or anything like that." He stretched out and then stood up. "But let's be serious. Kurama should be arriving shortly. I want to inspect his living quarters; after all if he is going to be my advisor then his rooms should be outfitted appropriately. I couldn't have my old partner shacked up in rotting lodgings, it just wouldn't be appropriate."

Youda nodded his head and followed his lord out of the room and through the corridors. Most of them were not decorated, but the wings in which Yomi's higher up staff lived were a completely different story. These hallways were draped lavishly in velvet tapestries, hung with rich oil paintings, and strewn with baubles of all variety.

Kurama's hallway had been decorated according to Yomi's orders. The tapestries were all in silk and velvet. Strands of gold and silver were woven into them, creating images of kitsunes in their natural play. Yomi knew that this was all in the right order because he could feel the images when he ran his hands over the tapestries.

The floors had been swept clean, mopped down, and polished until they shined bright as diamonds. Yomi could smell the clean, roses and cinnamon, and it hung heavily in the air. Even the doors had been polished.

"So far this is most appropriate Youda. I'm very pleased." Youda smirked proudly at his lord's appraisal. He had spent a great deal of time supervising the project and those few words were the precious congratulations that he got. They were like jewels; each had its own insurmountable worth.

The two entered into what was to be Kurama's study and Yomi immediately began to explore the room, poking at some things, nodding his head in appreciation, and checking to make sure Kurama's desk was properly equipped. Satisfied that it was, Yomi walked through another door.

This door led to the room that Kurama would be sleeping in. Yomi spent a large quantity of time sifting through this room.

The pillows were covered in white silk with golden velvet trimming. The comforter was the same way. Yomi could tell because the scent of dye was still in the air, each color slightly different then the last. He ran his fingers lightly over the bed, imagining Kurama, as he had been so long ago, draped casually there.

Yomi sighed and Youda stepped back, allowing Yomi to judge the rooms. He continued to touch every little thing, making sure that the rooms were perfect. It was for Youko Kurama, no 'Shuichi Minamino' and so it had to be perfect. Kurama was perfect…

"Very good job Youda! Most impressive, I do believe that it shall be up to Kurama's taste." Yomi clapped slightly and then began to move back to his corridor. He needed to plan a few things before he let Kurama into his territory. Kurama was going to forget everything that happened, and remember it all in excruciating detail. That was what Yomi wanted, and damn it all that was what he was going to get!

As Kurama began to approach Yomi's territory the demon lord sent out a few guards to 'meet' the Kitsune. He had to make sure that Kurama was still as skilled as he had been when they were younger…and he was not disappointed. The guards, skilled warriors in their own right, fell as if they had never fought a single fight in their lives.

'Perfect,' Yomi thought with a grin. He stepped out of the shadows, eager to embrace his old friend. However, when Kurama looked at him he did not look at his face and his eyes were chilled.


	2. Words could never say

TCA- Here is the next chapter; I hope that you all enjoy it. This shall be a Yomi/Kurama pairing…just because I find them adorable. Check out my other Ficlet, it needs lurve. Please review for me, even if it's just something like 'Good' or 'I like it' or even 'it suxs' (if that is what you need to say). Sorry it took a while, I have been sick and today I got bloodwork.

Standard disclaimers apply; I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho or any of its characters.

It was not Kurama's cup of tea. In fact he didn't want to be within a thousand mile radius of Yomi. Not only was it disconcerting…it was down right dangerous.

Take for example how he had been convinced to come here in the first place: Yomi had threatened his family…and turned the Reikai's rightful ruler against him. Then when he finally does arrive the idiot sends people to fight him. He looks at the now dead fighters and let's out a small sigh. Might as well get this over with…

"Yomi, I know you're here." Yomi almost squeals in delight, but he manages to stop himself. It just wouldn't be lordly to do that. Instead he steps out to face his old friend and smiles brightly.

"I'm glad you have accepted my invitation, Kurama." Yomi feels slightly uneasy. He and Kurama didn't exactly leave one another on friendly terms, but that conflict has to be put in the past. He is truly delighted that Kurama came, even though he had to do a bit of threatening so he could see him again. Well, not really see him…that was impossible. Not that seeing him mattered; it was just breathtaking to have a discussion with the kitsune again. Yomi briefly wonders why Kurama seemed so distant and then…

"Are you mocking me? You call me here and _this_ is how you welcome me?" Kurama is livid under the calm mask and Yomi sighs inwardly. It's not like he ordered anyone to _kill_ the kitsune, he just had them fight him for a few seconds. They had been ordered not to hurt the kitsune, not that Kurama knew that.

"Easy, my friend. I did this because you're changed. I was wondering if you still have enough skill to be useful to me." Yomi tossed his head slightly to get the hair away from his face. He hated lying to the kitsune but it was a necessary evil. Kurama didn't know enough about Yomi's heart so how could he comprehend what his heart ordered his mind to do? Everything he had done since the _**accident**_, because he still viewed the assassination attempt as an accident or a misunderstanding on Youko's part, had been done to win the kitsune's heart. Hell, everything that he had done before the accident was an attempt to win the gorgeous kitsune's grace.

All he had ever wanted was a smile or a laugh. A hug would have turned him into a pile of quivering jelly. If Youko would have just focused his eyes momentarily on Yomi, looked at him the same way that he looked at the sparkling treasures he stole…Yomi would have been happy for the rest of his life.

"So you were testing me? You have changed since I last saw you too…you seem more… _cautious_." Yomi can feel the way Kurama's eyes glint. He's testing what type of freedom's he has here…Yomi smiles and turns his back. No need for Kurama to see how much the situation amuses him.

"Yes, I have changed. I've become king, and my power is on equal to Raizen's and Mukuro's. And they have been kings for much longer. My goal is to defeat them both, and then take control." Yomi remembers the way that Kurama used to look.

In his mind golden eyes are narrowed at him and long silver hair flows in the Makai breeze. He had never gotten to touch it, but he was willing to bet his life that it felt like strands of silk. The scent of roses was still on his human form though it wasn't as thick as the scent of a kitsune.

"It's been a thousand years," says Kurama. "It's a rather long time." It startles Yomi enough for him to let out a small squeak, but then he realizes what Kurama is talking about. Power levels…not his looks. Yomi flushes slightly at the sound he had made; it is not kingly.

"If you're as strong as I think you are then I have no reason to fear them. I'm counting on you." Yomi mixed the compliment with a token of trust and hoped for the best. Maybe if he dropped little hints…maybe if he showed he cared…maybe Kurama would forget the past? He'd have to put the past behind him as well and he could do that completely later. No secrets, no lies, and no hatred. Just forgiveness and love.

It was at this moment that Youda showed up to alert Yomi that the meeting with Gandara's military commanders was beginning shortly. Yomi sighs inwardly and then tells Youda to escort Kurama to the meeting. Youda doesn't seem thrilled by Yomi's choice of adviser…but Kurama is _Yomi's_ choice.

Yomi has Kurama sit to his left, in the first chair. It's a privilege to sit near him and he wants to get a few messages across to all of the others in the room.

Kurama is trusted and they can't compare to him. Kurama is an old friend; therefore his advice is to be taken more seriously. Kurama is important to me. I love Kurama…well maybe he wouldn't make that one clear to them. Rulers were to rule with their heads and not their hearts, which was why Kurama had gotten rid of him. Kurama didn't hate him…Kurama couldn't hate him!

Yomi continued his musings in silence, at least until Youda brings out the projection screen and all of his graphs. Though the graphs are informative at times Yomi can't help but find them dull. The information is worded blandly and Youda's speeches and explanations are an annoyance. He could babble on and on about something that was clearly understood, drilling the stupid thing into your brain for hours-sometimes weeks on end.

Today the lecture is on the military strength of each kingdom. Apparently, hell obviously, the strengths of all the kingdoms are measured at equal. Yomi refrains from telling him off because he is a useful old coot. A graph is now displaying the same information, only a year has passed…or at least that is what Youda says. From the gasps in the room Yomi can tell that it is shocking and by everyone's auras he can tell that it is good. He asks Kurama of his opinion, disregarding the others in the room.

"Youda, could you show me the levels of both the kings and their second-in-commands?" The graphs show up while Youda grumbles under his breath. Yomi smiles at the display his people are putting on.

Raizen and Hokushin.

Mukuro and Kiren.

Yomi and Shachi.

Kurama sits still for a few minutes, his eyes focused completely on the graphs. It annoys Yomi, the graphs get more of Kurama's attention then he does. Kurama won't even look him in the eyes, or at least where is eyes used to be. He would have to find something to fix that problem.

"Considering how _weak_ the second-in-commands are I doubt that they're power will be any sort of deciding factor. That leaves the kings…and since their power is matched…" Kurama's voice trails off momentarily in amusement. "That means that any war would be pointless unless a complete renovation in second rank occurs."

Shachi begins to make rude and rather loud comments on Kurama's analysis, even going so far as to call it foolish. Kurama continues on as if he can't hear Shachi's comments, making Yomi proud of his adviser.

"In six months renovations will occur in each kingdom and the new second-in-commands will be a key part in determining what happens after Raizen's death." Kurama finishes his explanation and then stops talking.

Yomi claps inwardly. His Kurama had been perfect. And Shachi is now beyond furious, heat radiating from his eyes in torrents. He wouldn't dare try anything in front of Yomi and that angered the demon lord more than anything else ever could.

After the meeting is over Kurama and Yomi leave together, Kurama still doesn't know where his room is.

"That must have been one of the most interesting meetings I have sat through Kurama." Yomi's palms were covered in a light sheen of sweat. He really wasn't good at the complimenting thing. Now to warn Kurama about Shachi without being to obvious. Obvious is equivalent to stupid in the eyes of Youko Kurama and Yomi doesn't want to be stupid.

"Shachi's glare at you…it contained more than just hatred. Loathing, perhaps something more." He tilts his head to the side slightly. "I think he's planning on killing you." This would normally be a casual remark in the Makai, but it is a well meant warning none the less.

"How could you tell Yomi?" Kurama asks in genuine curiosity. Yomi lets loose a little happy squeal in his mind: the kitsune is now semi-interested in him!

"After being blinded, I've become much stronger," Yomi explains calmly, all the while grinning on the inside. "Although unable to see, I can perceive many things: temperature, pressure, one's state of mind, the mood in a certain environment." Yomi pauses to let the meaning of his words set in.

"Kurama, I can guess what will happen in six months from now. Day and night, Yusuke Urameshi has been training to become the new leader of Raizen's army. I've been informed by an undercover agent that your companion Hiei, who has gone to Mukuro, has increased his powers remarkably in a short period of time. Do you believe that in six months Yusuke, Hiei and you will become seconds-in-command to your kings? The key elements in each of the three armies…is that it?" Yomi muses out loud. He does not wait for an answer.

"Kurama come with me. There is someone I would like you to meet." Yomi gestures for Kurama to follow him and they walk down flights of steps until they reach an underground chamber that is shut off with heavy wooden doors.

"Can you guess who it is that is imprisoned here, Kurama? It took me so long to find him…the youkai who took away my light." Kurama visibly flinched at that and turned away from the cell doors. "Why are you acting like this all of a sudden? Raise your head to look at him, well, what's left of him."

The doors slide open revealing a wasp youkai who is chained to the wall. The smell of rot and decay is thick in the room and Yomi can sense Kurama's shock.

"Pity he's already started decomposing and he hasn't been talking much at all. A thousand years may have passed but that day is still burned into my mind…" Yomi whispers. Healing, they need to trust one another and this is the only way to get rid of the past. Steeling himself against the odds, he continues.


	3. Screw Up

TCA- I'm typing this up as fast as I can, I have to go back to school tommorrow, regardless of how I feel, because if not I get to see the doctor again. Ah, well….I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho or any of its characters. If it was my creation I would have cut Yomi, Sensui, and several others some slack because even bad guys have good feelings.

Youko1776, Mouko Mizaki, Happydemonhobo, and Madhumalati thank you for reviewing!

Yomi takes a deep breath and then begins to talk again. He hates having to bring all this forward but hopefully Kurama will understand.

"Back then our situation was inverted." He adds the word partially to this statement. Kurama had never been in love with him or tried to impress him so the situation could not be a completely mirrored image. "You were the boss and I was your humble second-in-command. I had my sight back then…" The memories flood Yomi's mind and do not stop.

"You and I were eager for power, eager to create a new kingdom, and to achieve our goals we needed things. We needed to make our names known and we needed followers. We needed money. So we chose the most dangerous of paths even in Makai: we became thieves."

"I was headstrong, impulsive, and reckless. I wanted to be the boss and I did all I could to challenge you." Yomi is glad for the moment that he no longer has his eyes…Kurama could have read his emotions so easily. _I wish I never would have challenged you_,_ I miss being your second-in-command. I want to start it all over, and we have our kingdom now!_ No…such thoughts should not be revealed, no matter how beloved and beautiful Kurama was. "I started doing things my own way, looting castles and villages, and losing many, many men in those incursions."

A memory flashed in his mind. He had taken a group out against Kurama's orders to invade a castle. They had rushed through, setting off trap after trap. Man after man had died, until only Yomi was left. Even then he had fallen into a pit filled with youkai…they had surrounded him. He had known he was going to die, but damn it all he was going to go down fighting! Before it had resorted to that he had been safe, surrounded by corpses. Youko had come and saved him. 'If you go on like this you shall meet a rather bitter end, Yomi.'

Naturally Yomi had not headed the warning. The raids were the only way to get Youko's full attention. He always showed up right before anyone could kill Yomi, though not so quickly that Yomi never got hurt. He got hurt plenty. Every time was worth it.

"You were the opposite of me," Yomi reminisces. "Always cold and calm. You were so ruthless but you enjoyed the planning. You relished in strategies. Now I think I am actually willing to admit that I was nothing but a puppet, casually manipulated by you." Yomi clenched his jaw slightly, wishing that it hadn't been that way.

They could have been perfect. They could have had everything together…Yomi held back tears. He could fix this; he could make it right between them all. He just had to get rid of the darkness in their shared past because once that was gone everything could be better. They would be perfect. They would have everything together.

"I didn't understand your methods. I wasn't qualified to be your second-in-command." Yomi hates those two facts. He hadn't understood the kitsune…that had to be part of the reason Kurama had never noticed him in that way. He wasn't even qualified to be anyone's second-in-command, so how the hell had he managed to become Youko's? He certainly had to have been lucky.

"One day I hear rumors about a castle that was stuffed with treasures and had little in the way of guards so I took a group out." The description he had heard was more than tempting, it was orgasmic in its own right. The treasures he had heard tale of had been things that would please Youko beyond all reason.

At first he wasn't going to go, but then he had realized something. The descriptions had seemed like something Youko would like and maybe if he stole the artifacts and then gave them to the kitsune as a gift…an unexplainable joy had filled his heart at that moment. He was going to steal all of it without getting rescued. He was going to bring the treasures to the kitsune. He would bow at his feet, declare his eternal and undying love, and then give the treasures to the thief. Then they would mate and be together forever.

Life hadn't given him a break however. His group had been attacked by an assassin, the same one that was now shackled to the wall, and they had all been killed. Then he had turned towards Yomi and they had fought viciously.

"All the while he refused to tell me who he was or who sent him after me." Yomi turns his head momentarily to the assassin. "He still hasn't told me after all these years. He proved to be much stronger than me and he slashed his swords across my face, blinding me. I managed to wound him badly as well and he rushed off."

"Life is worth more than the reward. Those were the only words he spoke; I lost my sight and never even knew why."

He had been defenseless and scared afterwards but it hadn't mattered. He had crawled about blindly for a few hours, looking desperately for the castle. It had to be real, because he still wanted to show Kurama that he cared. Kurama would come for him and he wanted to give something to the kitsune.

"I hoped you'd come and help me, and I waited a lifetime for you, but you never came. A thousand years passed and we never met again, but I never lost hope that we would meet once more." The words slip out of Yomi's mouth and he wonders if it is possible for one's heart to take control of one's wits. He decides that it is indeed possible and the he needs to watch what he says from here on out. He just gave the kitsune a serious advantage in this thing, an advantage that he was hoping to give away later in the game.

It is a game, how can it not be? It was a game when he was with Youko and it is a game when he is with Kurama. The only difference is the experience of the players. Youko had gained so much in his human lifetime. Yomi had gained a kingdom and an infinite amount of followers. That wasn't what the prize was in the game, though knowledge had a well to do ring to it in the big picture.

In the end the prize was passion and Yomi wanted it more than anything else in all of the worlds. He had been offered the hearts of many but only one could ever enchant him or hold him in thrall. Youko, Kurama, Shuichi…his lovely kitsune. He would beg, he would threaten, he would scream, and he would cry. That was his part in the game.

Kurama would act cold, he would glare at Yomi with cold eyes, he would act superior, and he would pretend not to notice how much Yomi loved him. That was his part in the game.

"I thought that I could get answers if I found the youkai who took away my light, so I searched for him." He let out a chortle, trying to cover up his little slip in the game. You never come out and say something in a comprehensible way, it has to be cloaked. It makes life so much easier and it doesn't hurt when you spill your heart and soul out.

"Why have you kept him here even if he hasn't spoken?" Kurama has a look in his eyes and Yomi finds it cute.

"Don't you find the presence of this youkai soothing?" Yomi says with a smile. He doesn't bother answering Kurama's question with words because he can answer it with action. He kicks his leg out hard and a thump fills the air. The youkai moans and wakes up.

"Please, kill me," the assassin begs. The words come out with great difficulty; his voice is raspy and hoarse from the years of silence. This is probably why Kurama hired him; the capability not to break under maiming makes a great assassin. He probably was paid a fair share of money, a king's random. How ironic. "Have mercy... I can't stand... the pain anymore..."

"I think you've suffered enough." Yomi agrees. He has to finish his move; he has to put the past away. "But before I kill you…you must answer this one question: who gave you the order to attack me?" Kurama's eyes harden, his heart beat quickens, and Yomi tries not to sigh in frustration. That's the kitsune he knows…cold and cruel. Why doesn't he act the way he does in ningenkai? Yomi likes the softer side of his old friend because it calms him in a way that he can't explain. He feels like he's walking on air.

"His eyes…so cold…the bandit-Youko Kurama…" The bandit manages to rasp out the words after what feels like an eternity. With a roar Yomi yanks his leg up and then smashes his foot into the assassin's head. It cracks like a rip watermelon under the pressure. Kurama remains calm and unshaken, just as stolid as he was before. Yomi turns to face him, equally calm despite the roar of anger that had came from his lips moments before.

"Kurama, you might not believe it, but I understand." There's the first step. Kurama needs to know that Yomi doesn't blame him. This shall fix the trust problem.

"I admit that I was stupid and careless. I sacrificed too many of our men." There's step two. Let Kurama know that Yomi was willing to accept that he had been reckless and idiotic. Admittance of idiocy makes kitsune feel superior.

"Had our positions been inverted, I'd have done the same and killed you without hesitation." And there is step three. Lie to make the kitsune feel better. He had to think that Yomi was as insensitive and selfish as he was back then. No need to scream that he had always loved the kitsune, there would be a time for that later.

"What do you want with me?" Kurama looked coldly at Yomi. This wasn't how it was supposed to be, they were supposed to put the past behind them now! Yomi almost growled in frustration. He would have pulled his hair out in frustration, but that was not kingly behavior and Kurama had forced him off guard repeatedly.

"I merely want you to join me and be my second-in-command. I need your strength." He stops himself before he tells Kurama that he needs his love. "In the past, despite my stupidity, I was useful to you somehow." _Please let me be useful again. I can give you the world_. "I need your help to unify Makai. I want my dream to come true." _I want you to love me. I want us to rule together, like we wanted to do so long ago._ Yomi waits expectantly for Kurama's reply. The cards are all on the table now, and it is Kurama's turn.

"What happens if I say _**NO**_?" Kurama says with a dispassionate look in his eyes. No, No, No! That couldn't happen, that wouldn't happen! Yomi holds his panic inside and tries not to do something stupid.

He had planned way to long for the kitsune just to turn the offer down. He _cared_ about the kitsune; he understood the kitsune, hell he would kill for the kitsune if that was what it took. He had to keep him here so he could show him that, he had stacked up all the aces just so he could see his friend again. He'd be happy if Kurama just accepted him as a friend again!

"Humans travel a lot, don't they?" He shoves this out quickly, not knowing what else to do. Please let Kurama say yes…he has to stay!

"What?" Kurama's eyes are open now, and the atmosphere of the room has changed drastically. Kurama is startled and it must have slowed down his thought process.

"Your human mother is on a plane right now. Let's hope that that plane doesn't crash, after all human's die so easily." He hates himself for it, but Kurama won't leave now. He can't leave because he thinks Yomi will kill his mother. Yomi sighs inwardly. Kurama loved Shiori and because of that he would never actually hurt the woman…maybe someday he would be calling her mother as well. Then he and Kurama would look back on this and laugh.

"When I first met you, you were very insecure," snaps Kurama. "Who taught you to be this dissimulated?" Kurama is beyond furious and Yomi tries to keep from doing anything else to upset him. He loves Kurama.

"You get angry easily, but never to the cost of your calm and reason. You know what to do not to lose someone important. Your thoughts are always two or three steps ahead into your strategy, and you always know the best path to choose. Intelligence comes above everything and only then come love and hatred. You're sad, cold, and ruthless. Makai soon will face hard days, and I'll need a cold, ruthless ally to help me." Yomi throws out the information quickly, trying to justify his actions. Not to Kurama, but to himself. Things will get better, and Kurama will forgive him eventually. That's how love works.

So Kurama grudgingly agrees to be Yomi's second-in-command. He has no choice in the matter, just as Yomi had no choice in the way that the matter came about. People will do crazy and stupid things for love, especially if the love is an unrequited one. The only thing Yomi knows is that he wishes he had his sight back, even if it is just for a moment. He wants to see Kurama, his beautiful light, again.


	4. Drunken Nights

TCA- As of right now I'm sorry that it took me so long to get this up. I've had regents testing, so I was studying a lot more than I normally do. _**Anyway…I need you all to vote for me. Keep the rating as is or bump it up a bit and include eerrmmm…very graphical Yomi/Kurama squiggly(aka smex) later on in the story. Your choice there.**_

I do not, and will not, ever own Yu Yu Hakusho or any of its characters. The end, no more needs to be said.

There is a semi-lime in this chapter!!! 

Yomi is lying under his thinnest blankets, on top of his giant bed. His head rests against the ungodly amount of pillows and he is physically comfortable. He breathes softy but he is not asleep. He can't sleep, his conscious won't let him.

'_Why the hell was I so stupid…he's going to hate me for that.'_ Yomi sighs and runs a hand through his long black hair, disentangling a few of the wild strands from around his horns. The stupid strands insisted on getting caught, and it was starting to annoy the blind lord. He had so many other things to worry about.

Kurama had said yes, but it wasn't any comfort to Yomi. Of course the kitsune had said yes after Yomi's little threat, after all it left him with little choice in the matter. He had had no choice and Yomi had had no choice. It was a pity that things had to follow such an atrocious path but Yomi just knew that he could fix it. He had to fix it unless he never wanted to make up for past mistakes. Kurama was a forgiving person now…

'_Unless someone threatens his family. I just ordered more trouble than I can ever handle.' _Yomi reaches upwards and runs a finger over the canopy above him. The silk material is soft and cool, contrasting completely with the hot and somewhat humid nights that Gandara offers. The blind lord smiles sadly and then quickly pulls his hand away from the canopy. He will get no sleep tonight, not with the self-loathing that his heart now contains.

He perks up his six pointed ears and listens, concentrating on the entire castle. Only a few two other people are awake. Youda is one of them; no doubt he has stayed up to do some sort of graphing or some other technological thing. The other one is Kurama. He's pacing about his room; obviously he has not been able to get to sleep either.

Yomi threw the blankets off and stands up slowly. His bare feet pad lightly against the warm floors as he walks over to a small area in the corner of his room. He pulls out two glasses, salts the rims, and begins to mix the drinks. Once the task is completed he puts the concoctions, the demon world equivalent of margaritas, into the small refrigerator.

He and Kurama had always been fairly heavy drinkers back in the day, granted Yomi always drunk more…effeminate…drinks. It was not like anything he had drunk didn't have the same punch; it had just tasted better in his opinion.

Hopefully Kurama wouldn't mind these types of drinks. Hopefully Kurama wouldn't mind having a drink with Yomi.

Yomi threw open the door to his room and began to walk through the corridors of the castle. The whole palace was humid, and Yomi made a note in his mind to buy some sort of air conditioner from the ningenkai. It would probably be expensive but comfort was worth a few extra gold pieces here and there. If it kept him nice and cool, and kept his generals and inferiors happy it would be worth several hundred gold pieces. He nods to himself and walks into Kurama's corridor of the castle.

Kurama is in his study, pacing back and forth to calm down his more Youko tendencies. He is trying to remain calm, now that he knows about the depth of Yomi's hatred. How could he of all people not realize that the demon lord was still a vicious idiot? Yes he had learned to plan ahead, yes he had learned to judge an enemy's weaknesses and use them to his advantage, but he was still a moron. That was the only explanation for his little threat. He obviously did not remember who he was dealing with.

The ex-thief-turned-reikitantei hits his palm on top of his desk. He's in a fierce mood. How can he not be, with things being the way that they are? Kurama slumps into his chair, a lovely thing carved perfectly to match the desk, and rests his head on his hands. He just needs to rest a few minutes, think things through. He needs to get ahead in the game before he falls too far behind.

A loud knock resounds and Kurama growls in frustration. The kitsune briefly wonders who could possibly be harassing him at this time of the night, but that question is remedied as soon as the door is opened. Yomi stands barefoot in the hallway, his hair disheveled, and a rather happy smile is plastered on his face.

"Kurama, I just wanted to check up on you and see if the room accommodations were to your liking." Yomi forces the happy-go-lucky smile onto his face and tries not to say anything to stupid or threatening. The kitsune had been backed forcibly into the proverbial corner earlier, and kitsunes always tended to bare their fangs at retched traps. If Yomi wanted to fix what he had done, he had to do it slowly and gently. It was made very clear by his earlier attempt that using a fast pace would not be appreciated. The game had to be slowed down.

"The lodging you have provided is rather nice. It suits my taste rather well, so I suppose that I should thank you for it; however, that does not mean that I will." Kurama's eyes are just brimming with hate and disgust but Yomi will not let that deteriorate him.

"You don't need to thank me, Kurama. I did this for you because I wanted to, and I just wanted to make sure that everything was alright with you." Yomi places his hand on the kitsune's shoulder. He feels flesh. A small blush comes to his cheeks when he realizes how much shorter Kurama is now. He used to tower over everyone at a might six foot seven inches. Now Yomi was willing to bet that the kitsune barely hit five foot nine inches when on his tiptoes.

"Well it is. If that was all…I really must get to sleep." Kurama makes to close the door but Yomi shoves his foot into the crack at the last second. "What is it really, Yomi?"

"Kurama, I wanted to know if you would have a drink with me, you know…for old time's sake?" Yomi's feet shuffle slightly on the ground. He is starting to feel nervous, like a tittering old fool. Kurama has changed so much…he feels so much more delicate and yet the same time he has this new strength. Kurama opens the door of his room and steps out into the hallway.

"I suppose I shall, after all I was having a bit of difficulty falling asleep. It's rather warm in here, don't you agree?" It is just then that Yomi recognizes the fact that Kurama does not have a shirt on. He forces the blush away from his cheeks, thankful that Kurama is still wearing pants. He can hear the fabric rustle with ever step that the kitsune takes. "I am assuming that you're going to lead the way, after all it is your castle."

"I'm going to get air-conditioning later this year…" Yomi mumbles uncertainly, yet again having to hold back a well meant comment. He wonders what Kurama would say if he declared it 'their castle.'

Knowing Kurama he would either be delighted or furious. Knowing the situation that he had haphazardly pushed the kitsune into the latter was more likely. He wished the former was, but this was how the gods had decided to treat him, this was the hand that fate had dealt, and damn it all he was going to do what he could with it. Kurama would find out slowly how Yomi felt if he didn't know already.

"This is my corridor and I have a mini-bar in my room." Kurama gave him a pointed look. "What is it my friend?"

"You always were a heavy drinker…even if you only drank girly drinks." Kurama laughs deeply, the first real laughter he has shed since he came to Gandara. "I remember you getting so smashed that you would hit on your reflection in the mirror, and actually felt insulted when it refused to answer! Please tell me that you have sake or something proper." The anger has dissipated momentarily. It's been so long since the kitsune has had a drink, after all in the ningenkai he has the perfect little son image to keep up.

"It depends on how you define proper my old friend," Yomi says as he opens the door to his room. He bows slightly and waves Kurama in. "Just come sit down and I'll get the drinks." Kurama follows Yomi into his room and sits calmly by the small bar. Yomi takes the drinks out of the fridge and sets one before Kurama. The kitsune looks at the drink and snorts softly.

"Margaritas? Yomi, I've been sober for over fifteen years and the first bit of alcohol you give me is a margarita?" Kurama cocks an eyebrow and looks at the demon lord. "Ah well, at least it _is_ alcohol. Cheers." Kurama picks up the glass, tilts his head, and smiles. He licks the salt off of the rim, then throws back his head and chugs down the drink. Yomi claps lightly and then does the same. For the first time in a long time the two 'look' at one another and grin sincerely.

"Want another one? I have enough drinks back here to send this whole castle into a drunken stupor." Yomi begins to pour more drinks, not even bothering to wait for Kurama's response. The kitsune smiles and picks up another drink, sloshing it down as quickly as he did the first one.

"Can you believe I forgot how wonderful this sort of thing was? Since this is for old time's sake…we should talk about old times like before _that_ happened. We can act like none of it happened for a night…can't we? We can just pretend that we're in our hideout, the others are asleep, and that we just came back from a really good heist. Remember the heists Yomi?" Kurama looks uncertain and he knows that he's babbling. He's been far to out of it for far too long, both in ningenkai and Maikai.

"Yes, I remember Kurama. You aren't smashed already…are you?" Yomi asks with a tinge of curiosity. Kurama's human body has never had alcohol so maybe its tolerance is low. Maybe the Maikai drinks were having a stronger effect on the human body. Whatever it is Yomi likes it. Kurama is being semi-friendly…

"Hm. Not yet Yomi, but who can tell what the night will bring?" Another drink is quickly eliminated, and then another, and another, and another. "It really has been a long time." Kurama yanks Yomi from behind the bar and sits the demon lord beside him. His arm wraps around Yomi's shoulder in an almost intimate way.

Yomi nods and begins to drink a bit more heavily himself. Kurama is going to get drunk fairly fast; it's obvious in the way that he is drinking. "It has been a rather long time since we've done something like this…do you think we'll get rambunctious enough to wake the others?" Yomi gestures around the room. Hopefully they wouldn't wake up everyone in the castle but you could never really tell what the crazy Youko was thinking.

"Na…" Kurama waves his hand dismissively. The heady drinks are already taking effect, he feels a bit woozy. He was happy to, it felt rather like floating on air. "You know how hard everyone sleeps after work; we're probably going to be the only ones awake for a very long time." Kurama's arm tightens slightly, pulling Yomi closer.

Kurama briefly wonders why their den doesn't seem familiar but he shakes off the feeling. A little too much to drink can do wonders to a demon's head; even if the drinks are girly. Maikai alcohol is hard stuff. He runs his hand through his silver…no red, hair. The others must have been playing tricks on him again, they had once tried to dye his hair green, but it had washed out fast enough.

"Yomi…do you know who was messing with my hair color again?" Kurama gestured to his head and Yomi shook his, playing along with the kitsune. Maybe he shouldn't have let Kurama at the liquor; his friend seemed to be a little to high up.

"No I don't know wh-hmmmgph!" Yomi gasps as Kurama's mouth comes down on his own. The kiss is sloppy on both sides. Yomi's first thought is to push the kitsune away, to save his friends dignity. All thoughts are erased when one of Kurama's soft hands caresses the side of his face and the other clutches at his hair. Kurama tugs gently at the locks, his drunken eyes looking were Yomi's eyes used to be.

"Kurama…" A soft gasp comes from Yomi's mouth as Kurama's fingers begin to massage his scalp right around his horns. Kurama shifts slightly and grabs Yomi by the hands.

"Bed now my little chastling," Kurama says. His eyes are hazed over, and flecked gold. He pulls Yomi to the bed and pushes him onto it, his lips firmly latching over the blind lords. A little whimper comes from Yomi's lips when Kurama nips sharply on them. Before the blind lord can protest Kurama is fighting for dominance in a vicious tongue war. Never one to be bested Yomi pushes roughly against Kurama, desperately trying to take control. The two broke apart panting and Kurama began to pull at Yomi's shirt.

"Relax…just calm yourself down pet." Kurama trailed kisses and nips down Yomi's neck, leaving a cool trail of saliva. The demon lord's hands found their way into Kurama's red hair and entwined in the crimson locks. Kurama smirks, not the sort of grin that a human would possess. The warm mouth latches on to a nipple and begins to suck softly, occasionally nipping at the hardening flesh. Yomi lets out a soft scream and thrusts wildly, trying to rub against some part of the kitsune.

One of Kurama's hands found its way to Yomi's hip and pushed down. The demon lord shakes his head, not knowing what to do. He loves Kurama and being this way with him-a shudder over takes his form. He doesn't know what to do. Yomi lets out an aspirated sigh as the Youko playfully nips his way down the blind lord's stomach. Yomi's pants are ripped off of his body suddenly. Yomi tries to pull away, suddenly realizing how bad it would be if their activities were to continue.

"You're evil…and drunk…" Yomi cocks his head to the side in uncertainty. Kurama's hands seem to be everywhere all at once. Vines. Yomi doesn't know whether he should laugh or cry. Kurama was so far gone…a vine sinks in-between Yomi's legs to touch his length. A soft sob came from Yomi's lips and he quickly pulled away. He couldn't do this. He _loved_ the kitsune, and he wouldn't let the kitsune do something like this when he was drunk.

That is when the unthinkable happens. Teeth sink into Yomi's flesh, marking his as claimed. Yomi yanks away, and quickly begins to feel around for his cloths. Once he finds his pants he pulls them on, ignoring his own discomfort and arousal. Kurama's emotional needs should be met, not his drunken psychical ones.

"Yomi…what's you doing?" Kurama looks curiously at Yomi. The demon lord can't find his shirt so he rummages through his bandages and finds one to put over the mark. Hopefully it will be enough to deter Kurama from looking at it when he is sober again.

"You'll regret this in the morning…I can't let you continue." Yomi pushes a few strands of hair back into place and sits back down on the bed. The kitsune's arms immediately encircle him, pulling him into a tight embrace. Warm air accosts Yomi's ears as Kurama pants slightly.

"I never regret my conquests, Yomi." Kurama breathes drunkenly into Yomi's ear and then nibbles on the lobe. The demon lord sighs and presses his hand onto Kurama's cheek.

"Well, I'm tired then. We can play in the morning," Yomi says. He knows that he's passing up the only opportunity he is probably ever going to have at physical intimacy with his love. It doesn't matter to him, because these aren't the conditions that he wants to take Kurama under. "Let's just take a nice nap."

Kurama nods and then basically passes out. Yomi smiles while running his hands through the red hair. Kurama doesn't need to know about this part of him, Kurama doesn't care that Yomi cares. It doesn't matter, just like physical pleasure doesn't matter. He's in love, so only Kurama's happiness counts. He cares, so he has to pretend that he doesn't care. Kurama curls up against him, causing Yomi to smile. He'll explain this away in the morning, and everything will be forgotten.

A soft kiss is placed on Kurama's forehead and a blanket is pulled up and over the pair. At least he has tonight…at least he has his dreams.


	5. Good Morning

TCA- Here is the next chapter! We actually had fireworks on the fourth despite the fact that it rained all day. I now have a baby duckie to raise up….I'm so happy! There is an OC in this chapter and she shall pop up every now and then (not as an important character, as a servant).

I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho or any of its characters…..I wish I did, or that I had some hand in the show's creation. But I don't and I didn't.

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Of course morning has to come. The day does not heed the wants of anyone, let alone a blind demon that can't even see morning's light. And of course morning brings consciousness to both Kurama and Yomi. Yomi is fine, he is not suffering from any sort of headache or adverse affects. That is probably because he was so used to the potent Makai drinks. Kurama on the other hand hadn't touched a drop of alcohol for about sixteen years, let alone drank any type of _Makai_ alcohol.

Kurama lets out a small whimper and pushes his head against the pillow, his memories of the night before are vague at best and downright nonexistent at worst. A warm form is pressed gently against his side, and Kurama can tell that they are both shirtless though they are both wearing pants. He moans as a wave of pain lashes through his head, and then he turns to meet his bed partner.

Yomi's head faces Kurama; he can feel the kitsune staring at him in shock and a little anger is behind the glare as well. At this moment he is thankful for the bandage around his neck, it would have been too much for the kitsune to handle.

"Why am I in your room?" Kurama looks around lethargically and then closes his eyes. Yomi tries not to laugh at the kitsune, but he fails miserably. Kurama whips his head around to look at him, but buries his head into the pillows instead.

"We were drinking last night, and you managed to get drunk rather quickly. You tried to seduce me, I said no because I knew you would hate me in the morning, and then we fell asleep in my wonderful bed." Yomi rolls over onto his back and places his hands behind his head. "You really are an interesting drunk, Kurama."

"How far did we get before you _finally_ decided to say no?" Kurama spat the words out quickly, his hands clutching at the coverlets. Yomi sighs and begins to gently remove the covers from Kurama's graceful hands hands.

"You got my shirt off," Yomi says offhandedly and flashes a smile. "And you stole my pants…but I didn't let you go that far. I stopped you and pulled my pants back on. It was just a little to warm to wear a shirt, even a thin one."

A groan comes from Kurama's lips and Yomi laughs.

"Shut up yagi no baka!" The spirit fox hisses at Yomi and then covers his ears. Yomi snorts softly at the old insult. They could go on for hours with things like that in the old days. Kitsune no baka to Yagi no baka, head to head in a violent battle of insults.

Yomi runs his hand through his hair, picking out the tangles with his nails. They are located around his horns and his ears, just like they always are. He spends a few moments combing through his hair, ignoring Kurama's little twitches and hisses of pain. He just knows that Kurama will get over it eventually! If it was possible for Yomi not to hold a grudge over his eyes it was possible for Kurama not to hold a grudge over a few drinks.

Once all of the little knots are out of Yomi's hair he begins to pick through Kurama's. His fingers run throughout the crimson locks, catching the smallest tangles and working them out with experienced fingers. Yomi notices the little things, the soft smell of roses that radiate from every single pore, the silkiness of the long locks…he frowns slightly at the split ends that he finds.

"Why are you playing with my hair?" Kurama looks groggily at Yomi, squinting at the blind lord. The light burns his eyes, his head hurts. He's confused and suspicious.

"I'm getting the knots out so I can help you old friend. Remember the old days? I used to get smashed so easily…the next morning you always watched over me and made sure I didn't do anything horribly stupid." Yomi caresses the back of Kurama's head and smiles gently. He wishes that he could see Kurama, just Kurama would suffice.

Yomi sinks his hands into the thick hair and slowly applies pressure to the kitsune's scalp. He is soothing in his ministrations, making sure not to press too hard or too quickly. As Yomi rubs away the tension in Kurama's head he continues to smile in delight. Kurama sounds so pretty…Yomi squeals inwardly and begins to move his hands towards Kurama's shoulders. He sighs in realization and pushes a button beside the bed. Kurama would probably look at him oddly later, but oh well.

A girl with long curly brown hair and big brown eyes rushes into the room and bows profusely at Yomi. Her hair falls clumsily around her and her white dress flairs around her thighs. Her demon markings fall directly under her eyes, one cross under each.

"You called Yomi-sama?" She bows again, her nose almost touching the ground. "May I get you anything? A drink? Breakfast? Um…" She smiles widely and looks at Kurama and Yomi.

"Nakhoda, would you please bring in some massage oil and breakfast for two? I tired out Kurama last night," the servant girl began to giggle and Yomi smiles indulgently. "So I'm going to make it up to him."

"Okay Yomi-sama, it's all coming right up! Have fun getting squiggly with the love, I'll keep everyone away from your quarters!" Nakhoda giggles and rushes out of the room, returning ten minutes later with a tray stacked with food and a large bottle of oil. She bows again and rushes out of the room rather quickly.

Yomi sighs softly, glad to be alone with the kitsune again.

"You should eat Kurama; food will help you get rid of some of the pain in your stomach." Yomi smiles softly and put a bowl of what appeared to be scrambled eggs in front of Kurama. Kurama pokes it slowly and then grabs a spoon after deciding that it is safe to eat. The blind lord nods his head in happiness when he hears Kurama begin to chew.

Though some demons found the taste of human flesh to be pleasant Yomi found it to be bitter and gamey. It was greasy so Yomi didn't indulge in that kind of thing, instead he ordered his chefs to make some of the finest gourmet foods that they could. Everything was spiced and seasoned to perfection and the most basic foods were turned into masterpieces.

Yomi runs a delicate finger down Kurama's spine, feeling out the vertebrae as he goes. The muscles are loose in some areas and hardened in others and Yomi works his fingers into the little muscles indents on Kurama's back, intent on relaxing the tense kitsune. Said kitsune continues to delicately shovel small spoonfuls of egg into his soft mouth, letting out little whimpers as Yomi's fingers glide across his spine.

It is a tender moment, though there is still a fair share of animosity in the air. The grace that Kurama displays delights the blind lord, the movements are graceful and the way that the motions displace the air around the kitsune is an enchantment. Every whimper, be it one of pain or pleasure, is like the finest melody.

"Is it to your liking?" Yomi smiles as his hands kneed at Kurama's back. The kitsune opens his eyes and then looks back momentarily at Yomi. The blind lord seems relaxed, though there is something in the yagi's face that makes the kitsune nervous. The morning's light splays shards of almost frantic sunlight onto the pair. If Yomi could see the way that nature coerces their forms into an angelic light he would probably laugh.

"Depends…n' what ur talkin' bout….." Kurama lets out a soft yelp as Yomi's fingers rub into a particularly sore patch of muscle. Yomi resists the urge to kiss the kitsune's shoulder. He forces down the instincts that want him to mark Kurama as his own and continues to rub away the tension in Kurama's body. "Some is a lot more…then just to my liking…"

"That's good for me to know," Yomi says as he applies light pressure to the lower area of Kurama's back. A loud pop fills the air as Yomi pushes upward, fixing the tension in the kitsune.

He forces himself to stop, resisting the urge to move his hands lower on the kitsune's form. A soft sigh overtakes the blind lord and he rests his head gently on Kurama's shoulder, relaxing his body against his friend's. The two stay like that for a while, neither pushing the other away.

A few more minutes pass by and Kurama gives Yomi a bowl of eggs with a small smile. Knowing that he is every bit as hungry as Kurama Yomi takes the bowl and moves so he can eat comfortably while still touching the kitsune. The reincarnated Youko says nothing about the closeness and Yomi is glad for it.

He does not have the heart to tell his old friend that he is just being nice, that he's just as hung-over, or that he doesn't care. He does not have the heart to lie to the cunning young male, the night before had eradicated the part of him that was so intent on survival that it was willing to lie to the one that he loved. The two eat in silence and Yomi likes it that way.

Yomi shoves the eggs into his mouth, while Kurama continues to delicately eat his own. They both eat thick strips of bacon, Yomi's extra crispy and Kurama's lightly cooked. They are both silent and they revel in the pleasure that they get from one another's company. The two share a rather large glass of juice, a concentrated form of a rather delicious Makai berry, and have toast and breakfast gravy.

Yomi feels delight beyond all measure as he and his crush share the juice glass. There is no straw, so their lips touch the same rim. Though it is not direct contact it causes Yomi to shiver in delight. For some obscure reason it conjures up memories from the night before.

His hand touches the bandage on his neck and he pulls away from the kitsune, to put on proper clothing. Yomi yanks on a uniform, rather proud that he has everything color coordinated beforehand. All the outfits are capable of being matched up so that the blind lord does not come out looking completely ridiculous if he accidentally grabs something random.

Kurama watches Yomi dress through half lidded eyes, his mind still a haze. The Youko smiles secretly as Yomi disrobes completely and begins to pull on a dark crimson uniform. It is definitely red, not the sickening color of maroon that graces Kurama's home closet.

As soon as Yomi is completely dressed Youda walks into the room, intent on giving the blind lord a status report. Likewise a disheveled Nakhoda rushes into the room, intent on giving her boss and **his** _squishy person of love_ as she had fondly nicknamed Kurama more time together.

Yomi holds back a sigh as Nakhoda grabs Youda's arm and desperately tries to drag him out of the room. Kurama's reaction to the two of them is the opposite of Yomi's; he bursts into laughter and then holds his head in pain. Those lips are so kissable and sweet, Yomi forces himself to pay attention to the two servants before him and not the smexy kitsune behind him on the bed.

"Lord Yomi what is that-that-_thing_ doing in your bed?" Youda shoots a dirty look at Kurama. Yomi can just feel the loathing in the room and he really wants it to go away. His kingdom cannot run on hate and ill will and the only way to ensure that it doesn't try is to apply strict order.

"That thing as you so ineloquently put it is my advisor and my dearest friend. Don't you ever dare have the audacity to forget that again." Yomi's voice takes on a hard edge as he sits beside Kurama and places an arm around him. "Now report whatever you need to report."

"The kingdom is in a perfectly stable condition my lordship. You have an important meeting in an hour and a half, and it's supposed to be rather chilly this afternoon." Youda bows as he walks out of the room, never turning his back to Yomi and Kurama.

"Now for your business Nakhoda." Yomi nods his head in his servant's general direction; he can hear her heart beating steadily.

"Um…I was tryin to make the Youda leave you alone, so I guess I'll just get your dishes and your dirty clothing and leave!" She bows and begins to run around the room, picking things up quickly and then rushing out of the door.

Yomi runs his hand over Kurama's spine one more time before getting up and heading towards the bath. When the kitsune looks at him questioningly Yomi points at the bed.

"Stay and sleep [1 Kurama, you need the rest so that you can help later today." Yomi hears a soft mumble as he leaves his room. Obviously Kurama still feels a bit cranky. Yomi snorts at this thought, for Youko was always cranky….if not downright bitchy. Yomi used to take care of him after their raids, providing everything that the kitsune wanted…except sex. Yomi had never been allowed to provide that particular service.

The bathroom is every bit as lavish as the bedroom, if not more so. A large stained glass door is draped with mint green silk curtains and colored light twinkles throughout the room. The door leads to a balcony that overlooks the kingdom.

Pristine white tiles, with a pattern of Ivy patrolling around each tile, decorate the floor. The tile grout is every bit as white as the tiles themselves, scrubbed clean of all traces of dirt and grime.

In an alcove opposite the stained glass door is the bathtub itself. It is large, Victorian style, and rather deep. Of course if it is to fit the tall demon lord it had to be rather large. The towel hamper rests behind the tub, filled with fresh fluffy towels.

The blind lord walks quickly over to his bathtub and begins to fill it with hot water from the tap. Gandara was the only kingdom that had modernized to the point where proper plumbing was an actual necessity, not just a frivolous little thing.

When the tub is filled up Yomi turns off the tap and begins to undress. It is only after Yomi has sunken into the warm water that he realizes he should have changed after the bath. He blushes, realizing that his mistake wasn't the type a noble would make.

The water is steaming and Yomi sinks in as deeply as possible, submerging as much of his body as he can in the large tub. He sighs softly, thinking of the anger that Kurama will show when…no if…he finds out about what lies under the bandage on Yomi's neck.

Yomi peels of the bandage and runs his fingers over the mark on his neck. It is a drunken mistake on Kurama's part but to the blind lord it means the world and more. He focuses a small amount of his youki into his fingertips and sighs as the energy signature in the mark reacts.

"Kurama…ai shiture…" Yomi lets a sincere smile touch his lips, not one of the condescending ones that he normally uses. This smile displays the innocence that he had thought lost when Youko had betrayed him, it displays the love and passion that he still feels for the former thief.

Yomi moves his hand away from his mate mark and into his hair. The strands around his horns are tangled up again, and he spends a few minutes focusing on them instead of the kitsune he is so enamored with.

'_This is getting to be too much for me to handle…I want to tell him everything.'_ Yomi lets out a groan of frustration and yanks at his hair, trying to ease away the tension in his brain. Many of his generals dislike Kurama, Youda downright hated him, and the kitsune didn't seem thrilled to be in Yomi's presence. All in all nothing was going the way that he planned it out to go.

'_Later…I need to tell him one I get this all sorted out.'_ With that thought in mind, Yomi carried on throughout the rest of the day as he normally did.

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[1 In classical Japanese, _kitsu-ne_ means _come and sleep_, and _ki-tsune_ means _always comes_. This comes from a legend that has apparently been proven false…but I still thought it would nice to play slightly so as to include in this.


	6. Embracing the Ice Knife

TCA- Well here is the next chapter...the chapter in which Yomi will eventually show off his mark to Kurama. Sorry it took this long, the O button on my computer wasn't working so I had to use copy and paste to put them in…….not very pleasant.

!3Abc

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As Yomi finishes off his bath and dries off with a fluffy towel he momentarily wonders if he could just make it all stop. He could stay in the bathroom, not come out for his meetings. He could barricade himself in, and never come out. He _could_ but he won't. It's the story of his life. He shakes the depressing line of thought from his head and begins to get ready to face the day.

He yawns, stretches out, and then pulls his clothes back on. His skin feels cool after the warmth of the bath and he wraps his arms around himself in uncertainty. Today is going to be nerve wracking, he can tell it already.

The blind lord can hear Kurama breathing lightly from the next room. Oddly enough, it comforts him more than any other noise could.

It makes him smile, this small noise. It makes him proud, the fact that Youko trusts him enough to sleep soundly in his castle, in his personal chambers, on his pillow clad bed. It makes him feel very warm inside, almost like a toasted marshmallow. He grins softly, a deep blush staining his cheeks. He feels almost loved.

It is funny in a way; all of his carefully lain layers are slowly dissolving, leaving him at the same emotional standpoint that he had been at when he was Youko's second-in-command. While it was true that he had much more experience and a much calmer mind it was also true that his feelings for the spirit fox remained intact. If anything the emotions had increased. The kitsune's advances the night before didn't help quell the adoration that he felt for the youkai turned ningen.

Yomi bits at his lip nervously and then begins to towel dry his hair, section by section. He'll tell Kurama after the meeting…after the kitsune has had some time to rest and after Yomi has had some time to prepare himself. The blind lord pulls the towel away from his now semi-dry head and drops it into a dirty laundry shoot located by the tub. He hears it tumbling down the shoot and to the laundry room. Each turn makes a rather loud clank.

Yomi walks over to an adjacent room that contained a rather large boudoir. Not that Yomi would ever let _anyone_ call it such a thing. He was no lady, and therefore it was not a boudoir. Or at least that is what he insistently told himself. It was his sitting room, plain and simple.

Yomi didn't consider himself to be a creature that needed a lot of care to look proper but he did need to do something. He also needed a place that was all his, with no work to worry about. Regardless of the fact that the room is_ not a boudoir_ it does contain most of the items that a boudoir would.

A lounger consisting of aubergine velvet and ecru pillows is situated right in the middle of the room. It has a thick emerald velvet comforter throw across the back. Silk sheets are folded underneath the pillows; the embroidered words and Yomi's crest still rather prominently displayed despite their position.

A desk made of oak is pressed tightly against the wall, a large mirror attached to its back. The mirror's frame is carved into an intricate pattern of roses and vines. Each rose was stained with a deep cherry, while the vines were dark brown. Of course the mirror is just for show, seeing how Yomi is blind. It was just a thing that comforted him at times.

Said blind lord sits down on the chair in front of his vanity and lightly runs his hand over the area that he knows his brush is in. He picks it up and begins to comb out his hair, yet again untangling strands from around his horns. Every now and then the brush catches on a tangle, and Yomi has to work it out with his fingertips and claws.

Kurama's breathing is still light and even, a sign that he is still safe in the world of dreams. Yomi's sensitive ears can hear the soft sound even though Kurama is two rooms away, and it brings strength to the blind lord. Yomi continues to pick tangles away from his horns, assured in his decision to tell Kurama what had happened between them. The kitsune is a calm person and Yomi just knows that once the whole thing has been settled they will both come out better. The kitsune would fall in love with him and Yomi would confess his undying devotion to the Youko. They would kiss, talk about how much they loved one another, and then live happily ever after-ruling the Maikai side-by-side.

It was the single most romantic thing Yomi could picture. All of his other fantasies paled in comparison. Granted he had never even dreamed that the Youko would mark him as a mate! Another blush taints Yomi's cheeks and he is glad that no one has witnessed the display. Blushing wasn't kinglike and would never be kinglike.

Yomi ghosts his fingertips lightly over the mark, making sure that it is really there and not some sort of dream he concocted when drunk. It is there, and the youki infused in it spikes at the light touch.

"Kitsune no baka…" The thick blush continues to stain Yomi's pale cheeks. "Even if you don't care for me at least you bound me to you." He whispers to the empty air in the plush room. He goes over a mental checklist, making sure that he has everything he needs on his person.

Once, as a young lord, he had walked into a very important meeting without his pants. It had been the most humiliating thing he had ever suffered through and he had killed off all of those that had seen the mistake. One little slip like that could travel far and wide…Yomi shivers at the memory.

He walks briskly into his room and places his hand on Kurama's back, gently shaking his beloved. He feels the kitsune's eyes open and holds back a dark blush. If he had more time…if he could gather more courage… he would admit everything that he had ever felt. Yomi would do it someday, but today he was taking a small step. It was insignificant in the scheme of things but it would make him feel better. He couldn't keep something like this from Youko.

"Kurama, it's time to wake up for the meeting. We'll get you dressed properly and head off. And after the meeting…I have something to tell you." Yomi casts his face downward, knowing that the way his face was scrunching up would alert Kurama that something was erroneous.

"Ah, okay then. My hangover has mostly dissipated and clothing does sound nice at the moment." Kurama's eyes flash dangerously and Yomi forces himself not to flinch. You don't flinch when the man you love glares at you, even if it does make you nervous.

Yomi hands Kurama a fighting outfit that has been custom tailored for the kitsune. It is similar in cut to the Chinese style tunics Kurama normally wears, as soft as the tunics that Youko once wore, and matches Yomi's outfit in color. There is embroidery work on the hem and the sides…the buttons are foxes curled up in sleep. Yomi had had an entire wardrobe of such outfits created before the kitsune arrived at Gandara.

Kurama flushes and begins to change, not even bothering to find a more private area. Yomi lets a small smile fill his face, his super active senses feeling the heat radiating from every pore of Kurama's body. He walks over and strokes his fingers down his Youko's spine. It is an automatic reaction to his mate baring his flesh so openly, no thought is involved. He realizes afterwards that he might have made a mistake even though the kitsune was tempting.

"Does what you need to say involve the way you've been acting?" The kitsune turns towards Yomi, brushing the blind lord's earlobe with his soft lips. Kurama's voice is calm and warm but has the sharp edge that Yomi remembers. The light voice sends a slight shiver down Yomi's spine. This is the way that Youko would act, this was the brash feeling of first true love renewed in full. This was the way that Yomi wanted the rest of their life to be.

"Y-Yes…" Yomi leans into the shorter male, his whole body quaking in fear and anticipation. He was going to tell Youko Kurama, he was going to tell, he was going to tell…

"Then I shall not force anymore out of you until after the meeting. As soon as it is over I will expect an explanation for your _behavior_." Kurama's eyes sparkle with golden flecks as he looks at Yomi.

'_I love you kitsune no baka. Isn't that the only explanation that makes any sense? I was blind to think you wouldn't notice…eventually.' _Yomi forces himself to pull away from the Youko's warm form. It just wouldn't do for him to stay there, even though he wanted to. They had a meeting to attend and he didn't want to build up his hopes only to have them crash into bits. Resigned, Yomi leaves the room.

a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z +

The meeting goes as planned, not a single hitch. Youda shows all the charts and graphs that he normally does, Kurama acts like his usual brilliant and sexy self, and the others all scoff scornfully at his genius.

Yomi had never before _wanted_ to slaughter all of the members in his council, but today was turning into an exception. They were being cruel to his Seeme, his beloved Youko. Memories of the night before play merrily within his mind, each one becoming more and more vivid. As the memories fill his mind so does the resentment towards the members of his council.

"Enough of this ridiculous slander!" Yomi turns pointedly at the members of his council and hardens his features. His voice is loud and filled with hatred. "This is a meeting room and I expect it to be treated as such." Yomi gestures at Kurama, because pointing would be rude. As a demon lord Yomi is not rude, though at times he is impatient. "I trust Kurama more than any of you could possibly know, and I know that what he says is true. He is every bit as valuable to me as any of you."

'_And he is undeniably more precious than any of you could imagine.'_ He finishes off the last part in his mind, but Youda looks at him with what he assumes is a look of understanding. Yomi can feel the odd mix of emotions that come off of Youda in waves. The little demon is still confused about what he had seen in the morning and is wondering about the relationship between his ruler and the kingdom's new advisor.

The meeting continues on in a more orderly fashion. Fearsome of Yomi's anger, the others in the room do not dare insult Kurama as they had before. Shachi spends the rest of the meeting glaring at Kurama, Youda continues with his charts, and Yomi's mind wanders into the land of possibilities.

Telling Kurama will be difficult, not just because Yomi is now marked but because Yomi will have to reveal everything that he has ever felt about the kitsune. It worries the blind lord to no end. Just the thought of Kurama's possible reactions are making him nervous, though he does not show it.

Later the two walk out of the meeting room side by side, both rather silent. As if by some unspoken agreement they both head towards the study in Kurama's room, hoping that they will be able to talk in relative privacy. As soon as the thick door that leads to the study is closed and the two are seated in comfort the discussion begins.

"Explain now, Yomi." Kurama crosses his legs neatly, casually resting on the couch. The kitsune is graceful in every way, managing to be regal and careless at the same time.

"I…" Yomi turns his head downwards, not wishing to face the fox. He has not felt so insecure for many years and it shows on his face. He forces his shoulders to stop shaking and turns his face upward. "You…you did a bit more than just kissing me last night."

"I thought as much, considering the way that you were acting this morning. Did I harm you in some way?" Kurama's voice is laced with concern and he reaches out to lightly touch Yomi's hand. The act does not fool Yomi and he brushes Kurama's hand away, knowing that he may never get to feel that soft touch again. A few teardrops fall from Yomi's useless eyes, trail down his face, and land on the lush carpet. Kurama quickly slips off of his couch and moves over to were Yomi sits.

"I did hurt you, didn't I?" Kurama's arms wrap around the demon lord, pulling him close. His fingers burry themselves in Yomi's hair and the tears only come faster despite the comforting hold.

"No…not in the way you think-an-and…" Yomi took a deep breath in an attempt to quell the sobbing. "It wasn't anything that I did not want." Yomi pulls out of Kurama's arms and reaches towards the collar of his tunic. He pulls it down, revealing the bandage on his neck. "Take it off kitsune."

Kurama blinks in surprise but then does as Yomi had said. As the bandage comes off Kurama can feel the slight amount of youki that had been infused into the bite. When the bandage is no longer in place Kurama takes in a sharp breathe, fully understanding the implications in that one tiny bite. Lord Yomi casts his face downwards again, to ashamed to let his friend see his face.

"Is this-?" Kurama's voice trails off as he touches the mark with his fingers. Yomi shivers at the contact and instinctively leans into the touch. Kurama's eyes harden. "You said that you stopped me from taking you. Why is it that this," Yomi's mate, his beloved kitsune, pokes roughly at the mark. "Is even there?"

"Kurama we didn't do anything… you marked me before I could stop your actions…" Yomi let the tears dribble down his face. "I just-I-I thought I should tell you—I…its only fair-and well I sort of li—lo-I-I-I just kinda…" Yomi stutters and trips on his words, even as his mind tells him the sort of rhetoric he should use to win the kitsune's heart. The cold tone in Kurama's voice is not the detached voice of Youko, nor the anger filled voice of Shuichi. It is something different, and altogether unpleasant.

Kurama pulls away, no longer offering the blind lord any comfort.

"Leave me alone Yomi." Kurama practically hisses out the words. "I need to think-without _you_ anywhere near me."

Yomi leaves Kurama's study feeling downtrodden. He had not been able to tell the kitsune how he felt and he was sure that that mistake might cost him the kitsune-turned-human's heart.

Yomi goes to his room, walks straight through the bathroom, and locks the door of his special room. Lying down underneath the covers of the lounger Yomi's mind wanders to memories of happier times. Just that morning the kitsune had rested calmly in Yomi's bed…in another life, one that was long past, Yomi might have stood a chance.

The blind lord has never felt so alone.


	7. The Land of Nod

TCA- Here is the next chapter of For the Adulation of an Advisor. As you all know I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho or any of it's characters. I just own the idea of this story.

Also, I've started up a C2 Community thing, and if you have a Kurama/Kuronue or a Kurama/Yomi or a Kuronue/Yomi that you've written and want on it just tell me!

+~a b c d e f g h I j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z~+

Yomi does not really know much of anything anymore. He does not know how long he has lain on the lounger in his private quarters. He does not know if he has slept, or if the feeling of numbness that saturates his body and mind is the reason that his thoughts feel so hazy. He knows that he hurts, though he is not sure if it is a physical pain or an emotional one. He does not know where he went wrong.

Someone is knocking at the door.

Yomi ignores it. It no longer matters.

The blind lord knows that he is in love with his old friend. He knows that he has been brushed aside, rejected. He knows that he is a king, and he knows that he just shouldn't give up so easily…but just because he is a king does not mean that he cannot be broke. Yomi knows that his heart feels heavy and that he is in fact broken-he has been that way for a long time. An effort in futility…trying to pick up the pieces the way that he has.

Yomi falls asleep under his blankets, curled up in the safety of his own mind. The knocking continues.

_+~a b c d e f g h I j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z~+_

"_Yomi..." Youko inclines his head towards his second-in-command. The kitsune is lying leisurely on a giant flower, a rose in brilliant hues of pink and red. It matches Yomi's eyes and the youkai notes this with happiness, taking it to be a small token of friendship._

_Yomi's eyes widen in shock as the realization hits him like a fist to the face-- he can see! _

_It has been so long since Yomi could actually see…even in his dreams there was only darkness and voices. Briefly he wonders why his sight has been returned to him, even if it is for a short time span alone._

_He comes to the conclusion that in this moment it does not matter-he can see and there is his light, splayed before him on a floral throne._

_Youko looks so…wonderful._

"_Sit with me?" Though it is phrased as a question there is no doubt in Yomi's mind that it is a command…as Kurama's questions should always be. Yomi smiles at the deep tenor within Youko Kurama's voice. They weren't in the present then…Yomi continues to contemplate, wondering what he has gotten himself into. He has no time for such foolish dreams and yet… 'If this is what awaits me then let me sleep forever.' _

"_Of course Youko-sama." Yomi's body gives a slight bow and walks forward, though Yomi himself has not told it to do so. _

'_It must be a memory then.' The no longer blind lord thinks to himself. He ascends the leaf stairs and curls against the kitsune's side. The petals, each as soft as silk and as delicate as a butterflies wings, brush against his body and cradle him like a child. All in all, Yomi finds himself more comfortable and more content than he has felt in quite a long time. He feels as if he is finally home._

_Youko smiles widely and wags his tail. It is obvious that Youko is teasing Yomi when he purposely rubs the soft appendage against his second-in-command's thigh. Yomi's body shivers and lets out a soft sigh. He remembers this day now. He and Youko had spent the whole day teasing one another. So many times they had come close to actually coupling, but they had always stopped shy of completion...the kitsune had made sure of that. Yomi was not going to be a bed partner. Youko had been in rut…and Yomi still felt as if the kitsune would fall for his subtle wooing. _

_The two of them curl up snugly within the flower bed, their legs entwining in a friendly embrace. Youko's face is buried in the crook of Yomi's shoulder and his breath comes out in heavy pants. This is paradise, as far as Yomi is concerned. He watches the scene unfold and remembers how close they had been as friends, and wishes that the same sort of closeness could still exist between them. The scent of his friend's rut is thick and flowery, though not overpowering. The scent is that of roses and sweat and Yomi finds himself wishing that he had given in to this opportunity-though Youko would have been furious. How many times has he heeded Youko's desires, while at the same time ignoring his own?_

"_I hate this…" The kitsune mumbles his discomfort against Yomi's neck. "Being so weak…everyone smells soooo good right now." The tail twitches again and Yomi squeals in delight within the confines of his mind. Youko is exquisite._

_Yomi's hand creeps into Youko's tunic and massages the soft skin on the kitsune's back. The muscles are all overly tense and stretched taunt, as if Youko was planning to pounce at any moment._

"_You'll be fine. I won't let anyone hurt you." Yomi's vice holds a comforting tone that he normally doesn't use. The two cling to one another, though they had argued and fought viciously the day before. Yomi's cheek still smarts from the slap that Youko had aimed at him, but in this moment that is of little importance. _

_As Yomi watches the scene, with no way to control the events occurring, he muses about how comfortable he had been that day. Kitsune's were notorious in many ways and all demons knew not to strike up a 'long term' relationship when a kitsune was in rut. The fox wouldn't remember any loving words or actions once the rut was over. A kitsune remembered the feelings of passion in bed, not the love and courtesy shared outside of it. Yomi mentally shakes his head in disappointment._

"_Youko…Ai shiture." Yomi sighs and looks out at their little band of thieves. The group is celebrating the heist that had occurred the day before, the same heists that lead to Yomi getting slapped. It's a regular roaring fiesta, and Yomi finds himself comparing it to the human 'marde gras' parties that he has heard tell of…complete with people flashing for trinkets._

"_That's nice Yomi." Youko smiles vaguely and then pats Yomi on the cheek gently, as if mocking him silently. "Where's all the rum? I want a pint!" Yomi shakes his head no and pulls the fox demon closer to him. The tail flicks a bit closer, moving up Yomi's thigh._

_The landscape goes black. The scene continues. The only difference is that Yomi can no longer truly enjoy it._

_+~a b c d e f g h I j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z~+_

Yomi wakes up quiet suddenly, the knocking on the door still insisting. Knowing that it would persist, due to the fact that he normally sleeps for long periods of time and it hadn't stopped yet, he walks over to the door and opens it. He does not plan to talk to whoever it is on the other side; he merely wishes to scream at them a bit…even if it is not lordly behavior. He just wants to be left alone.

The blind lord is quite surprised when _Kurama_ of all people grabs his hand, yanks him to the futon, and makes him sit down. The fox's eyes are sparkling with real concern, and his fingers dart out to wipe the tears from Yomi's face. Yomi does not know what to do or what to think of the situation. Soon the kitsune's lips are kissing his tears away and he is being held in a firm embrace. There is nothing sexual about the kitsune's motions, nor does his aura contain any trace of love.

"You may be bound to me but I shall not be bound to you...or at least not just yet." Kurama's voice is detached. Yomi reaches forward, his emotions swirling within his aura. He does not know what to think of the situation. His friends words are manipulations, his actions the same. Even though Yomi knows this he cannot help but take hope from the promises that they speak. Kurama sighs and forces Yomi's head upward. The blind lord can feel the kitsune's eyes meeting the area where his used to be. "Friends. That is all we are going to be until _I_ decide that _I_ want our relationship to change."

Yomi merely nods his head, content in the fact that he has been recognized as a potential partner. Though it is not as good as him being recognized as a mate, it is a step in the right direction.

His toes curl tightly in his shoes and his fingers bite lightly into his palms. He tries to steady himself out, tries not to show the delight that is permeating throughout his form. Kurama snorts slightly and Yomi can tell that all his efforts are going to waste as he stands in front of his old friend. His aura is wild-saturated with the thick air of emotions that he has felt for so long. He thinks that everything is going to work out, even if it takes a long time.

He is glad that he at least has their friendship back again, as frail as it is, for it is something that he has missed for so long. There shall be more drunken nights, Yomi musses to himself, trying not to think about what he will feel if his dearest fox never returns his feelings. He now needs to buy a chess-board, maybe even a custom designed one, for the games that they used to play.

"Wrap up those trivial thoughts in your head, Yomi." Kurama removes his hand from Yomi's chin slowly, allowing the demon lord to feel the light pressure of each of his fingertips. "Wipe away the tears and make yourself presentable. I don't intend to even consider you if you continue to act so pathetic. I did say that we might be together, did I not?" Kurama's voice holds several chords of amusement and an almost incredulous tint.

"Yes. I suppose you did." Yomi brushes the few stray tears on his face away and then leans forward to take his blanket off of the floor where he had dropped it when he answered the door. His delicate hands move quickly, folding the blanket and then sitting in its proper place on his lounger. He stands up, a small smirk on his face. He makes sure that all of the pillows are in place and then turns to face Kurama. The kitsune's aura is a rainbow of emotions, and his scent has saturated the air of Yomi's sanctuary.

"As for those '_trivial thoughts'_ I was just thinking about how I am going to buy us some game boards. Chess, Go…that type of pleasurable thing."

"Ah…not so trivial after all I suppose." The kitsune smiles at the blind lord and then gestures outward, towards the door. "Do you feel inclined to leave this place? It is dinner time now and I did volunteer to alert you to that fact and bring you to the table."

Yomi scans the room with his youki, making sure that he had indeed put everything away properly. Once he is satisfied with the cleanly state of the room-he always keeps it nice and tidy- he walks to the door and leaves, Kurama walking casually beside him. Yomi cannot help but notice that the Youko turned human now keeps pace with him, instead of falling behind like a beaten or terrified puppy. It is a change for the better.

Kurama falls behind, ever so slightly, when they reach the dinning hall's doors. Even if they are slowly coming to some sort of negotiation on Kurama's role it would still look improper for the kitsune to walk in directly beside the blind lord. Smiling lightly, Yomi nods his head towards Kurama and places his palms on the doors. He can hear people talking on the other side, light murmurs and laughs. The large cherry doors swing wide open with his slightest touch, and the two of them walk in.

The room is completely silent.

This is something that Yomi has never experienced in his entire existence. He has never heard complete silence, and with his hearing he should be hearing _something_. He hardens his face and turns to 'look' at the various youkai in the room.

"Is there something that I am not aware of?" His voice is icy as he can make it. Frustration fills him as the members of his court begin to talk to one another again. Youda makes a low bow in his direction and he acknowledges it with a nod. For a moment he was reminded of when he first took the throne of this territory…the uncertainty had been almost tangible.

Occasionally he is so mucked up and haunted by the past that the present and the future seem nonexistent. Today seems to be one of those days for him. Yomi takes his seat at the head of the table and begins to pile various bits of food onto his plate with as much grace as possible. He stays clear of the more…human…tidbits. After all, he musses to himself, Kurama is almost human himself now.

The thought brings the shadowy image of him eating the beautiful man to mind. He feels sick momentarily, until he catches himself and continues eating. In this instant he can acutely understand why Raizen stopped partaking of such things. When one is in love with a human, or a youkai in human form, the though of human flesh filleted is enough to make one ill.

"My lord, might I inquire what took you so long?" Shachi asks while glaring venomously at Kurama. Yomi can't help but laugh heartily at the sheer display of hatred. Such displays are considered to be weak and yet Shachi…

"I was merely clearing up a few things with my…_advisor_. Not that it concerns _you_ in _any_ way, Shachi." Yomi smirks lightly and turns his attention away from the fuming general. Kurama is sitting on his right, and he begins to make light conversation with him. Occasionally Youda will pipe in some tidbit of information, but otherwise all of his attention is focused on the spirit fox.

Shachi continues to glare at Kurama throughout the dinner, not even bothering to veil his hatred. It is obvious by his every movement that he wants nothing more than to kill Kurama, but he cannot do so without incurring Yomi's wrath.

Yomi is not sure what he is doing-he hasn't been sure since Kurama came back into his life-but he secretly enjoys it, probably more than he should.


End file.
